Chapter Fourteen

FOURTEEN

"I'm going to see Andrii again tonight," Azelie reported to the merry widows. This time Doug Parsons and Carlton Gray were seated with the three older women.

Azelie set her drink on the table and scooted a chair closer to Blanc Christian. The ladies leaned in to hear every word. The older men crossed their arms and sat back in their chairs, regarding her with disapproval.

"Not a good idea," Carlton said.

Doug nodded his agreement with a jerk of his chin. "Absolutely don't date that man. In fact, never be alone with him."

The merry widows gasped in unison. China glared at them. "Seriously? You two don't have a clue what you're saying."

Azelie tried not to smile. She covered her reaction to the long-standing arguments between the five friends by sipping her iced latte. It didn't matter that they were not in agreement over her developing a relationship with Andrii; it was a standing practice for them to take opposite points of view on nearly every subject. She found it hilarious. If the women said the sky was blue, the two men would take great exception to that color and begin to describe the sky in any other hue but blue. She thought it best to stay out of the disagreement and let them go at it without her.

"We're men," Carlton pointed out. "We don't judge other men by their looks."

Blanc did her best to look outraged when in fact, the hotter the man, the more she was all for Azelie to take a chance. They'd tried to set her up with countless other males who had innocently come into the coffee shop, unaware the merry widows would be scoping them out for Azelie.

Azelie always hid in her books or writing, pretending she had no idea what the women were doing. At first, their interference had been so upsetting she had nearly stopped going to that particular shop, but it was close to her bus connection to get to the college, the coffee was amazing, and it was smaller and more intimate than one of the popular chains. Once she knew the owners, Shaila and David Manger, she had to support their small business. She liked them that much. In the end, she was grateful she had stayed and gotten to know the merry widows and Carlton and Doug. They provided much entertainment when they weren't trying to set her up with every available male who walked into the coffee shop.

"Looks? Do you think the only criterion we have for a man to date our beloved Azelie is to be hot?" China demanded.

Doug nodded. "Absolutely. The three of you ogle every man who enters this place and then you discuss whether or not they are good enough for our Azelie. And you do it loud enough that the entire coffee shop can hear every word, including Azelie and the potential male."

Carlton added his agreement. "The words hot and gorgeous and OMG are in your conversations quite often."

Azelie nearly spit her latte all over the table. The way the merry widows exchanged outraged looks was hilarious. Carlton and Doug were not wrong. In fact, they spoke the strict truth.

"You've scared off many good men," Doug continued. "And now you've got this Russian. He's Russian ."

Azelie stiffened, the laughter fading. "Okay, I'm going to have to object to the way that sounds prejudiced. You absolutely can't dismiss my man because he's from Russia."

"I don't care that he's Russian, honey," Doug said. "Only that he's from another country and looks as dangerous as hell. Not just looks it—he is . Any man worth his salt can see that."

"Oh my goodness," Penny exclaimed in an overloud whisper. "Do you think he's a spy? He looks like he could be a James Bond kind of man."

The Christian sisters nodded in agreement. "Super cool," China said in a breathy tone.

"If only," Blanc added. "Azelie, maybe he's a government agent. Wouldn't that be awesome?"

"Just the idea is sexy," China pointed out.

Azelie was back to stifling a full-blown laugh. The merry widows were ecstatic at the idea, already weaving a fantasy around Andrii. Doug and Carlton looked as if their heads might explode.

"I hate to burst your bubble," Azelie said. She had to press her lips together several times to keep from laughing. "Andrii is a United States citizen."

"What?" Blanc looked deflated. "That's too bad."

"Maybe not," China denied. "It's possible he's an agent for the United States. The boys are right; he does look sexy and dangerous."

Carlton choked until his face turned bright red. "I never said the man was sexy. That was the three of you crazy women. Good God, we're going to have to work to keep you in line. We were gone too long this time and left you alone with your conspiracy theories and your inclination to find men and pick over their bones."

Penny straightened her back and squared her shoulders. "We don't ever indulge in conspiracy theories. What are you going on about?"

Again, Azelie nearly spit out her iced latte at the outright lie. Practically everything the merry widows talked animatedly about was conspiracy theories or drop-dead, seriously hot men. Even when Azelie didn't see any of the contenders that way—with the exception of Andrii.

"Woman, the three of you watch too many crime dramas, and you always think someone is a spy or a murderer," Carlton said.

"Unless they're hot, and then they become some kind of fantasy hero," Doug qualified.

"I'm going to have you banned from our coffee shop," Penny declared.

"You've tried to have us banned at least once a month for three years," Doug said. "Shaila and David aren't going to kick us out because the three of you are wacky as hell."

" We're wacky?" China sputtered indignantly. "We were sitting here calmly waiting for Azelie to give us a report on her new man, and you shot her down, so now she isn't about to share."

Doug instantly looked contrite. "I didn't mean to do that, honey. It's just that men can look at other men and see them for who they are, whereas women don't always have that ability. Forgive me, but you're very young. Andrii is a good ten years older than you, and he didn't get those scars from playing in a play yard. I'm just worried."

Azelie could see the conflict on his face and hear it in his voice. So could the widows. Their indignation vanished, and the three women immediately sat straighter, appearing somber and interested in what Doug and Carlton had to say.

"What do you see in him that we aren't seeing?" China asked.

"A couple of things," Carlton said. He glanced uneasily at Azelie. "I don't want you hurt, honey. None of us do. You aren't exactly experienced when it comes to men. Andrii is the kind of man women fall all over. He looks like he plays hard and then walks away. He's probably got a hundred broken hearts in his past."

Doug nodded, concurring. "Anything dangerous he's done in his past aside—and it's clear he's done dangerous things—just having women falling all over you and then dumping them breeds enemies. Excuse me, ladies, but you know very well women can hold a mean grudge."

He rolled his eyes toward the merry widows to indicate they all held a mean grudge. It was all Azelie could do not to laugh again. The women had to have seen his little gesture toward them, but it was clear he was trying to make Azelie laugh with his silent antics, and they didn't take offense.

"Do you really think one of his past women might harm Azelie out of jealousy?" Penny asked, speculation and anxiety in her voice. "He is a heartbreaker. I didn't think of that."

"He isn't a heartbreaker," Azelie corrected. "You have a false impression of him, when you haven't ever talked to him to get to know him."

"Women always think they can change a man," Carlton said carefully. "But leopards don't change their spots. He's a man women fall all over. They come easily to him, and he looks like he might know what he's doing in the bedroom."

Azelie felt color rising beneath her skin. Andrii certainly knew what he was doing when it came to sex. "Please don't worry. I don't rush into things with my eyes closed." She had her own concerns about the relationship, but not the ones they had, and she wasn't about to share. "I'm always cautious."

She fiddled with her drink and then decided to take the plunge. "I'm aware all of you have to know about my past. My brother-in-law, Quentin, murdered my sister, niece and nephew and shot me three times before he turned the gun on himself. I lived with my sister and her husband for a number of years. I can't say I thought Quentin was a great guy or a good man, but I did think he loved his children."

Her fingers inadvertently tightened around the latte cup, nearly crushing it. She wasn't as disconnected as she'd like to be. She thought of Andrii and what he'd gone through. He hadn't told her about the scars on his body, but she could imagine how he'd gotten them. Or maybe she couldn't. She didn't have that kind of imagination. How could adults be so brutally cruel to a child?

"Don't look so sad," Doug implored. "We did know about your past, Azelie. We just never brought it up. It's for you to decide you're going to share with your friends and what you don't feel comfortable sharing. Maybe we've gotten overprotective of you, but all of us feel you're important in our lives."

That was the nicest thing Doug could have said to her. Azelie felt the burn of tears behind her eyes. She had no idea he felt that way about her.

"You bring us joy," China said. "If you're in the room, it feels like you bring rays of sunshine with you, even on the stormiest days."

Azelie blinked rapidly to keep tears at bay. She wasn't a crier, but the sincere emotion China gave to her was overwhelming.

Blanc agreed, nodding solemnly. She placed her hand over Azelie's briefly. "I sometimes get very depressed when we're fogged in. You know San Francisco gets a great deal of fog. I always know if I come to the coffee shop and you're here, I'm going to feel so much better."

Azelie had seen Blanc depressed several times in the past. She would go very quiet and sit without speaking for long periods of time. Azelie would worry, and she often spent time telling funny stories about the antics of the children she babysat to make Blanc laugh. She had no idea Blanc deliberately sought her out to lighten her mood. That made her feel good.

"It's true," Penny said. "You have this way about you. I've seen everyone respond to it. Children especially."

Azelie considered that. Children did respond to her. She could easily stop a baby from crying when sometimes the parent couldn't. In the park, she got the children playing and laughing if they'd been fighting or arguing. Luke and Teddy Tudor, Bradley's five-year-old twins, had been considered little hooligans by most of the other parents who frequented the park. The moment Azelie arrived, they changed their behavior. Betsy, Abigail Humphrey's three-year-old toddler, would instantly stop fussing the moment she caught sight of Azelie.

"And seniors, older women and men," Carlton added. "I don't know anyone who doesn't want to be around you. You have an uplifting personality. Shaila and David have spoken of it many times with me."

Azelie was uncomfortable with so much praise. She wasn't used to compliments. Andrii gave them to her right and left. He did so casually, as if he were throwing out facts and she should just accept everything he said as gospel. Maybe compliments were catching, like a virus. Someone put them out in the air, and everyone around became infected and needed to hand them out.

In any case, she knew the things the merry widows and Doug and Carlton said were heartfelt. That brightened her world. She hadn't known others viewed her in such a positive way. It was clear they cared a great deal about her.

"Thank you," she murmured, not certain what else she could say. "What I was trying to say in a roundabout fashion is that I'm not a complete pushover. Andrii is a strong personality."

"Dominant," Doug said.

"Aggressive," Carlton agreed. "A fighter. He wouldn't hesitate to take someone out. I was in the service for a number of years, Azelie, and I've seen a few men like him."

"Were they protective of the men in their unit?" Azelie asked the question without challenge. She was genuinely curious.

Carlton sat back in his chair, folded his arms, and nodded slowly. "Actually, yes, they were, now that I think about it. They saved our butts a few times when the enemy swarmed us."

"That's right," Doug said. "Those kinds of men might be extremely dangerous in the right circumstances, but they do have a code and they protect their own."

"Aha!" China said. "So, we women are right."

"I didn't say that," Doug protested. "I didn't even imply it. He's still a Casanova."

"You don't know that," Blanc said. "You just want to justify your opinion because even you can see Andrii is hot."

Doug opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. He exchanged a long look with Carlton.

"The man has a sensual appeal," Carlton conceded. "But that's the problem. He's a woman magnet. Our Azelie doesn't need that kind of hurt."

"You're so certain that he'll cheat on me." Azelie made it a statement. Truthfully, she didn't have a lot of confidence in herself as a sexy woman. Andrii told her over and over that he found her sexy, but she didn't know the first thing about sex. She hadn't even kissed another man. That was how truly pathetic she was when it came to sex.

"Don't you dare undermine her confidence," China said.

"You don't get to make Azelie feel like she won't have the ability to hold a man," Penny added. "I know something about how that feels, and it sucks."

Doug and Carlton exchanged a horrified look. "Did I make you feel that way, Azelie?" Carlton asked. "I certainly didn't mean you couldn't keep a man."

"Men are going to fight over you," Doug assured her.

Azelie found herself smiling despite the insecurity she felt. "I very much doubt that."

"Why?" Blanc asked, expressing the curiosity reflected on the faces surrounding Azelie.

She could see they were genuinely puzzled. "I'm just me. I know you're my friends and you only see good in me, but there isn't anything special about me."

"You have to know you're beautiful," Doug said.

"Well, actually, no. I think I look okay, but I wouldn't call myself beautiful."

"How could you not know?" Carlton demanded. "You look in the mirror, don't you?"

"It isn't like I think I'm not pretty, just not the turning-heads kind of pretty," she clarified.

Doug threw his hands into the air. "What is wrong with women?" he asked Carlton.

"I don't know. I've never figured it out," Carlton replied, sounding every bit as exasperated as Doug. "We have four gorgeous women sitting right here at this table, and every last one of them believes the others are much more beautiful. Good God, girl." He glared at Azelie. "You have to be blind not to see what any male would see in you. Your skin and that hair. Doug and I considered hiring a bodyguard just to ensure men like Andrii didn't come around. We knew the minute he came into the shop with his friend he'd see right through your disguise and make his play for you."

"Disguise? I was wearing a disguise?" She was feeling a little faint. The two men were just on the edge of anger, and she didn't understand why.

"Sure you were. Your oversized sweatshirt that covers you up so no one can see you," Penny said helpfully. "We told you about your silly dress code."

The merry widows had spoken to her numerous times about the oversized sweaters and hoodies she wore. They had no idea she was hiding her body from Billows. Okay, maybe from everyone. She hadn't been ready to face the world. Bradley Tudor had freaked her out when he kept insisting they would be so good together. She had no intention of dating him and she despised hurting him. She didn't want to repeat that experience with anyone else. So maybe she had been wearing those clothes so no one would look twice at her.

"Maybe I have done that," she conceded. "But I'm not wearing the sweatshirt today. I still don't see men beating down the coffee shop door to date me."

"Doug and I make it known we're your uncles and we look after you," Carlton announced.

Azelie was back to laughing or nearly crying. She loved these older gentlemen and the merry widows. How could she not? They were incredible, and they'd adopted her when she wasn't paying attention. They made her feel as if she had a family after all.

"That's so sweet. Although, thinking about it, that means you're running men off." She tried to scowl at them but knew she wasn't successful.

"Obviously, we didn't scare Andrii," Doug said, looking anything but pleased.

"Were you trying to scare him?" Azelie was shocked that she hadn't noticed the men posturing at Andrii.

"We only saw him the one time, when he first came in with his friend," Carlton admitted. "We saw both looking at you. As usual, you weren't looking back. Even so, we tried to give them the stare-down."

A smile slipped out. "Aren't they wonderful?" she asked the merry widows.

"You must not have understood him, dear," Penny said. "They were trying to keep your Andrii from taking notice of you."

"I heard." She flashed a smile at the two men. "Thank you for looking after me."

" Attempting to look after you," Doug corrected. "Evidently, we failed. You're going out on a date with him."

Azelie's smile widened. "That I am. I'm looking forward to it."

"Where are you going?" China took the conversation full circle in hopes that Azelie would tell them everything.

"I actually don't know," Azelie admitted. "He likes to surprise me. On our last date, he took me to a bookstore where Celine James was giving a master class on writing thrillers and murder mysteries. I have no idea how he managed to get last-minute tickets, but he did. The master class was sold out months ago."

Doug and Carlton exchanged a long look. "Andrii took you to a bookstore on a date?" Carlton wanted clarification.

She nodded, resisting the urge to burst into laughter.

"How could we be so far off base?" Doug asked. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you making this up?"

There was no resisting. Her laughter might be soft, but it moved through the coffee shop, turning heads. The merry widows laughed with her. Carlton and Doug reluctantly smiled. Azelie turned her head as the door to the coffee shop opened. The laughter died in her throat. There was no controlling her reaction, and both Doug and Carlton swiveled in their seats to see who had evoked her sober reaction.

Billows' man sauntered in, his gaze sweeping the room as he approached the coffee bar. Instantly, Carlton and Doug froze and then exchanged knowing looks.

***

"They knew," Azelie told Andrii. "They knew that man was following me and had been. Both took out their phones and snapped pictures of him when he was giving his order."

She was dressed in the long skirt and camisole top Andrii had given her. It fit like a glove. She knew it would. The color was a vivid royal blue, falling to her ankles in a series of ruffles. The camisole top matched the color and came to a V below the waist. She knew it flattered her figure, clinging to her curves, the soft material moving with every step she took in the most comfortable, beautiful boots she'd ever imagined. Dark-blue leather with a ruffle going up the back, the boots were not only stylish but so soft she felt she was walking on air.

"I don't know how long they've known he was following me, but they've clearly documented it. They're sharp, Andrii. Both were in the military for a long time. I don't know what either of them did, but they're very intelligent. I can't have them confronting Billows' man."

Andrii took his eyes off the road long enough to give her a narrowed glance. "Don't even think about going near that man, Zelie." He had poured command into his voice, and she instantly lifted her chin.

"You don't understand, Andrii. Doug and Carlton have taken on the role of my guardians. So have the merry widows. I know they're aware of Billows' man following me. They probably think he's a stalker. It isn't like I can tell them about my job and what a scary boss I have. Maybe I could explain Billows is using him for security to keep me safe. What do you think?" Deliberately, she added the last to include him for two reasons. One, he was highly intelligent, and security seemed to be one of his specialties. Second, she didn't want him to think she was deliberately defying him and that his opinion didn't count. It did.

He took one hand off the wheel to take hers and place it on his thigh. "Babe, I was aware of the way Doug and Carlton felt about you the moment I entered the coffee shop. The two of them glared daggers at me. They definitely gave clear warning signs that I was to leave you alone."

"They did? Where was I?" The two men had admitted they had tried to dissuade Andrii from showing any interest in her, but she truly hadn't noticed.

"You were too busy pretending you weren't in the least interested."

She glared at him. "I wasn't interested. I thought you were the hottest man I'd ever seen, and it was scary to feel that kind of chemistry when I hadn't felt that for anyone before, not even a mild version—but I wasn't about to act on it."

He sent her a small approving smile. "I love your honesty. You're always so direct with me. No games. It makes me feel very secure in our relationship."

She loved the fact that he had enough confidence to tell her he needed to feel secure. Most men wouldn't have admitted it. Being with Andrii, seeing the way he focused so intensely on her, hearing the honesty in his voice, and his sharing things about his emotions and past all added to the feeling of intimacy. She craved that closeness between them. She needed it in a relationship.

"I had to work to get you to deign to acknowledge me," he conceded. "I planned out my strategy carefully. Fortunately, I had the merry widows on my side. Also, Shaila and David. I was careful to cultivate a relationship with them so they would side with me and not with Doug and Carlton. I was also fortunate in that the two men didn't come into the shop when I was there after that first visit."

Azelie was stuck on his strategy. "You actually put together a plan to get me to go out with you?"

He sent her another quick grin. "Absolutely. I wasn't taking any chances that you would slip through my fingers. I was very aware Doug and Carlton would try to persuade you not to go out with me."

"They didn't know I was dating you until today."

He brought her fingers to his mouth, nuzzled, bit down gently and then kissed the tips before returning her palm to his thigh. The action sent little sparks of electricity dancing over her skin and down her spine. She was so susceptible to him, but she realized he was just as vulnerable to her, and he didn't mind her knowing.

"What was their reaction?"

Her laughter invited him to share her amusement at the situation. To her joy, it worked, Andrii laughed with her.

"That bad?"

"They had multiple reasons for me to consider not going out with you."

"Did you tell them we're already in a committed relationship?"

"We were still talking when Billows' man came in."

"His name is Andrew McGrady. He's scum. I really don't want you anywhere near him. He isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. He plays video games on his phone when he should be doing his job. He has a record a mile long, mostly for domestic violence. He doesn't mind hitting women. It wouldn't end well for him if he ever struck you."

A little shiver went down her spine at the menace—and honesty—in Andrii's voice.

"I don't want to get anywhere near him, but he's getting bolder. He's never come into the coffee shop before. I didn't like the way he looked at the merry widows and Doug and Carlton."

"You have good instincts, Zelie. What was your gut telling you? Why did it make you nervous to have him see you with your friends?"

His voice was amazingly soothing. Calm. Steady. Andrii was a rock she could rely on. She thought back to the moment Andrew McGrady had turned around to stare at her group at the table. He had a look of satisfaction on his face. He leered at her, something she thought he would never dare do just in case she complained to Billows.

"It was the way he looked at them and then at me."

"Did you feel threatened?"

She had. Her fingers pressed into his rock-hard thigh. "Yes. But not because I thought he would report to my boss that I had friends Billows could threaten to harm if I didn't cooperate with him." She'd felt as if a snake slithered over her skin, giving her chills.

"He's wrong, Andrii. Billows is clearly a criminal with no code or remorse. He wants money and power and is determined to get it at any cost. He rules through bullying and intimidation. I don't think he would hesitate to kill someone simply because they were in his way."

She pressed her fingertips deeper into Andrii's thigh muscle as if clinging to him for support. He must have felt her dismay because he curled his fingers around her hand.

"That man. McGrady. He felt evil."

There was a short silence while Andrii drove through the busy streets. Headlights and stoplights flickered through the windows as the BMW smoothly and easily maneuvered around traffic.

"Billows is an evil man, yet to clarify what I'm hearing, you believe McGrady is the evil one."

Azelie wasn't certain how to explain how she felt. "I know Billows is an evil, corrupt man with no conscience. His world is all about him. He doesn't see anyone else in it other than those he wants something from. He isn't nice about the way he gets what he wants either. I don't think his friendships are real. He uses people to get what he wants. He's a narcissist. He believes he's superior to everyone around him. I've heard him say he's smarter than anyone he's ever met."

Once more, Andrii's eyes met hers briefly. "Does he honestly think he's more intelligent than you?"

She found herself smiling, glowing even, at the obvious shock and disbelief in Andrii's expression. As if no one could think they were more intelligent than she was. He made her feel good about herself all the time. She might not think she was beautiful, but she did know she had an above-average IQ. She might even be considered a genius when it came to numbers, but her passion was creating stories. Mysteries. Thrillers. All with a touch of romance.

"Billows believes he's more intelligent than anyone."

"But you fixed his books. You're still fixing them for him."

"I'm a woman, so I can't possibly have a brain. I'm young in his eyes and don't know anything. And he's superior to everyone. You've met him," Azelie pointed out. "There isn't a doubt in my mind that you know exactly what he's like." She sent him a brief smile. "Doug and Carlton thought they knew what you were like, until I told them you took me to a bookstore on one of our dates. They were impressed."

"We can talk about Doug and Carlton later. I wouldn't mind their approval because they mean something to you, but it isn't necessary. I want to know what it is about McGrady that gives you a worse feeling than you get from Billows."

She thought that over before she answered him. "I don't think Billows cares one way or another about hurting someone. He doesn't seem to have feelings for anyone. He might pretend, but I don't think he's capable of feeling. That means he can be quite cruel and not ever think about it, but I don't think he gets off on it. He isn't sadistic in the sense he needs to hurt others. Or humiliate them. He just does whatever it takes to get what he wants."

"I understand what you're saying. That's a good assessment of Billows. What about McGrady?"

She glanced up at him, veiling her expression with her eyelashes. Andrii had been trained to read others almost from the time he was a toddler. He'd learned out of necessity as well as the training he'd received to become an asset to his government. He had to be able to size up his enemies in an instant.

"I feel a little ridiculous giving you my opinion on McGrady. I've been around Billows for years, so I know him fairly well, but I know nothing about McGrady."

"Other than your instincts, and baby, you have great instincts. I'm very interested in your opinion, or I wouldn't ask."

She sighed. "I think McGrady likes hurting people. Not only hurting them but humiliating them."

"You got that from him walking into the coffee shop and looking at you."

Had there been the least bit of amusement or scoffing, Azelie would have clammed up and not given her opinion again. Instead, Andrii sounded admiring. Pleased with her. She got that now-familiar glow inside just from his tone of voice. As if he approved of her, thought she was the most amazing woman in the world.

"Not just looking at me." She found herself gaining confidence. "It was the way he looked at Doug, Carlton, and the merry widows. As if he was assessing them and found them being with me amusing. I didn't want Doug or Carlton to give away the fact that they were onto him. They believe McGrady is stalking me."

"The moment he was spotted following you, research was done on him. Very thorough research. Your assessment of him is spot-on. I don't want you going anywhere near him. He won't have a chance to harm your friends. Whatever he thinks he's going to get away with, he's not."

There was absolute conviction in Andrii's voice. She didn't ask him any questions about how he'd done the research because she knew he wouldn't answer her.